That testosterone article is interesting. I had been under the impression, and I honestly don't know where this came from, that while men have a biological advantage in speed and power, women have the advantage in endurance, but if the glycogen storage difference is correct then that is not the case. Hmph.

That multi-page story on the South African runner (which it took me forever to read because I had to stop frequently to bemoan how awful people can be) mentioned the option of dividing competitors based on testosterone levels. Which would be problematic culturally, I think, but is an interesting idea.

Books like this: [link]

But they've explicitly said they're not quiverfull.

(Of course, I'm only guessing that the book is what with the quiver.)

But explicitly said they've said they're not quiverfull.

Have they? Because Wikipedia has no citation for this.

A cheetah?

Only if Nutty's got his back.

OK, accepting the premise that the Duggars aren't part of the Quiverfull movement, it is unfair to attribute Quiverfull philosophy to them.

If you don't accept that premise then I guess whatever philosophy you want to attribute to them if fair game?

I don't feel comfortable saying "They believe X" (particularly something sort of militant if not outright nasty) without some sort of assertion on their part.

Now I'll go Google and try and find a cite one way or the other.

MSNBC - [link]

“They always ask, ‘Don’t you know what causes this? Are you Catholic or Mormon? Are they all yours? Are you a school group?’”

The Duggars are none of the above. They are members of an evangelical Christian movement called Quiverful, which holds that children are a blessing from God and that husbands and wives should gladly accept all the children they are given.

Couples in the movement also believe that the husband is the head of the household and the wife is submissive to him, while the children are submissive to both. The girls wear long dresses or skirts and tops, while the boys wear slacks and polo shirts.

The article and interview softpedal the full Quiverful philosophy, which is as bon describes.

ETA: An older article but one from the Quiverful movement itself: [link]

Sorry for the linkspam:

Quiverfull takes its name from Psalm 127: "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Quiverfull advocates Rick and Jan Hess, authors of 1990's "A Full Quiver: Family Planning and the Lordship of Christ," envision the worldly gains such a method could bring, if more Christians began producing "full quivers" of "arrows for the war": control of both houses of Congress, the "reclamation" of sinful cities like San Francisco and massive boycotts of companies that do not comply with conservative Christian mores. "If the body of Christ had been reproducing as we were designed to do," the Hesses write, "we would not be in the mess we are today." Nancy Campbell, author of another movement book from 2003 called "Be Fruitful and Multiply," exhorts Christian women to do just that with promises of spiritual glory. "Oh what a vision," she writes, "to invade the earth with mighty sons and daughters who have been trained and prepared for God's divine purposes."

Newsweek: [link]

What's everyone doing this weekend? t /Perkins

Tomorrow I have a family thing with out-of-town relatives, and Sunday I have to try to do most of my Christmas shopping, with any luck between Lord & Taylor and Barnes & Noble. I only like two-named stores.

If the body of Christ had been reproducing as we were designed to do

But . . . but . . . but Christ didn't reproduce at all, at least according to all but the Gnostic texts. Isn't the body of Christ supposed to be Christ-like?

Pssst, Jesse loves ampersands!

I'm doing some Girl Scout thing with Casper tomorrow, and we will probably all go downtown to shop and have lunch (it is lit up and pretty). We're trying to get a sitter for Sunday so we can Christmas shop without the children. Bake cookies. Acquire almond flour someplace.